Job Discussion Forums

lagerlout2006 · Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 985

Helllo I know this topic has been aired but I don't recall if we reached a conclusion on it. My school got me an 8-month residence permit but I see that the Z sticker in my passport was good only for a month...It is now expired in fact. They (and others) say the green book is good enough and you just turn this in when leaving...I am still worried about it. What if I lose the book and show up at the airport with a long expired visa. I have made photocopies but maybe the school is dodgy. I worry maybe it was a temp visa and they were supposed to renew it. Dont know. This did not happen on my other jobs here ..........Maybe I worry too much but this looks like a didaster waiting to happen.

Morpheus · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 50

You'se gots its rite.
Don't lose ya green book. EVER Exclamation

You turn it in at the airport.
Repeat. Don not lose it EVER Exclamation

Does that resolve it for ya Question

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

It's a phenomenon I have only heard about over the last half a year or so - visas NOT current when other documents are. I simply canNOT imagine you can leave the country on an expired visa, no matter whether it's a work visa or a tourist visa. Expect to have to pay 500 RMB per day of overstaying - but some claim they made it across the border without hassles. The visa is needed to ENTER and EXIT China; all else is for domestic use. Visas cost proportionate to their validity length!
I for one do not wish to experiment with this kind of issue!
How about going to the hearest PSB to ask them right away?
You could do us a favour by telling us their answer!

lagerlout2006 · Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 985

Thank you Roger I am sure there is something fishy about this. Maybe some schools get a "temporary" Z visa before the work permit. Maybe you can leave no problem though. On the other hand a school can make you INSTANTLY illegal if they decide to cancel your other docs. (Usually the Z goes a bit longer than the contract.) I don't trust it and will have to get help on it.

Morpheus · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 50

Funny how you refuse to believe.
Your Passport visa expired. Fine Mine too. The Green Book Visa goes on until next year in July Yes they do have temporary visas. The passport visa and the Green book do not have to match.
Why are you freaking out Question

Roger is right about the 500 RMB a day but you do not have that problem.
Jeez some people wouldn't beleive Mother Theresa.
Now, bless you all, you evil sinners Twisted Evil

whitjohn · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 124

When my FAO handed me my green and red books and my passport, I looked at the dates. Red and green books OK... My Z visa was issued on 2 July 2003 and the expiry date was 30 Jun 2003. Yes that's right. It expired BEFORE it was issued. I asked the FAO and he said "no worries" it's the green book that matters...so I have an expired Z as well.
I'm going to Burma during spring festival and will get a new multiple entry before I leave here so I'll make dang sure the date on this one runs until next year!

Sandgropers · Joined: 05 Jun 2003 Posts: 39

Our college has supplied us with the Foreigner Residence Permit (green book), the Foreign Experts Certificate (red book), AND a Z Visa, which all expire 14 days AFTER our contract ends.
As Roger has already suggested, if I were you I'd check your situation with the local PSB.
Cheers [/u]

sherloq · Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Posts: 2

I recently spoke to the PSB on this issue and I was assured that this is perfectly normal. As long as your green book is valid you are OK. (I am in the same boat as well) As for leaving the country and trying to return, that is another issue.

cheekygal · Joined: 04 Mar 2003 Posts: 1987 Location: China, Zhuhai

I had it for a year in Harbin. Cause my Z visa was issued in ShenZhen and by the time I got to Harbin the laws changed and I had to go back and get through a complicated proceedure of getting some papers on so-called *visa release* - whatever they meant by that. So, they kept on extending my residence and work permits along with issued teaching license. I was a bit freaked out while crossing the boarder on my way back home in summer. But everything went fine. And here I am back again Smile

-cheekybabe

cheekygal · Joined: 04 Mar 2003 Posts: 1987 Location: China, Zhuhai

uh, sorry, forgot to mention i never went back to shenzhen cause it would take too much of time from my work Smile

and there was nobody to replace me [they said i had to wait for over a month to get that *visa release* thing]

-cheekybabe

goldstar · Joined: 22 Feb 2003 Posts: 44 Location: Henan

I left China on my expired Z six days ago. I gave my passport and green book to the emmigration officer at Pudong and he stamped them and gave them back. You are OK as long as you green book is in order. I was worried about this myself, I did some checking and yes, it is all you need.

clomper · Joined: 07 Oct 2003 Posts: 251 Location: Beijing

Hmm.. I plan to go to China for a weekend getaway. I just wonder if I just hand in my passport or include my green book? Both Z and green book expires next year. I don't know how this thing work. Advice pls. Newbie onboard!

Morpheus · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 50

You cannot leave the matrix. You only have a single entry, not multiple (I presume).
Therefore, you must get your employer to help you get the requisite stamp.
Otherwise you will need to surrender the green book and will be deleted.

phillipl · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 24

YES - you are OK!
My experience:
I have lived and worked in Chengdu for 20 months. I was also worried that my Z visa only had a validy of 1 month but was assured that it worked in conjunction with my Green Book (residency). I went back to Sydney (after working for 11 months) for 3 weeks last January and decided to "check this out" at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on the day of my departure. I was asked for my passport at emmigration and after some time was asked if I had a Green Book. I produced it and was then asked if I were returning to China. (My Green Book was still valid for 2 months.) I said "Yes I am." and was told to get a re-entry permit at the consulate in Sydney. The Green Boook was returned to me and "surprisingly" the consulate in Sydney after producing my passport and Green Book (but no other documentation ie A Letter of Invitation) issued me with a Z visa. On returning to my job in Chengdu my Green book was updated for another year but my new Z has long expired! I won't be worrying this January and hope the situation remains the same.

Tim · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 45

the Z visa is actually a permit to enter the country in order to work or study. The 30-days is the time you have to either leave the country, or settle into your place of residence and get a green card. Once you have the green card to are resident in China (and that is your document for being htere, not the visa any more)

on exit, they will look at your passport, see the z visa, then realise that yuo shoukd have the green card. They will then ask for the green card, and check the validity dates on that, not on the visa.

If you are returning to China, and have a green card that runds for a wjhile longer, and have another visa in the passport (that the PSB can issue, basically another z visa, for re-entry), you keep the green card. If you are leaving china permanently, they take the green card.

The police, on issuing you the green card in the first place, check to see that you have been in the ocuntry less than 30days when you applied (if you've been there longer, they fine you, or more usually the school). No one else has anything to do with the 30 days on the z visa , do not worry.